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Eden Lake Reviews

To call Eden Lake ‘bleak’ would be to undersell it. Characters and audience alike, very little reprieve is offered from the lurking terror, the tension often hitting the ceiling but never settling back onto the floor.

Full Review | Nov 27, 2023

A survival thriller with no shortage of cringe inducing moments, Eden Lake hurts to watch at times, but the way Watkins creates such sustaining tension, is impressive.

Full Review | Oct 14, 2021

Strong performances from a talented cast help lift this British horror's so-so script to the point where it can be looked back on as an early outing for some notable British and Irish talent.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 17, 2021

Aided by a script with some sharp teeth, as well as the tense action which keeps the film's pace quick, Eden Lake will linger with you afterwards.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | May 5, 2019

Technically and aesthetically, Eden Lake is torturous, ridiculous and bloodily tedious.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Nov 4, 2018

...it's hard to deny that the ultra-downbeat finale feels needlessly mean-spirited.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Apr 26, 2016

Works exceedingly well, and will probably stick in your gut for a little while.

Full Review | Aug 28, 2015

A solid horror thriller worthy of a watch, if only for its insight in to how easily the hive mentality can be formed, and how merciless it can be.

Full Review | Jun 4, 2013

Well acted, well directed, and totally intense, 'Eden Lake' is the best horror film to come out of the UK in years.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Dec 22, 2008

An effectively harrowing Brit thriller-cum-horror pic whose yuppie protags' weekend getaway runs violently afoul of the local youth.

Full Review | Nov 3, 2008

A gruelling, grimly effective British chiller.

Full Review | Oct 18, 2008

A well acted, smartly directed horror flick that's gory, disturbing, terrifying and topical.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 18, 2008

...while Eden Lake is effective, something feels not quite right about cheering for prepubescent kids to get their fatal comeuppance.

Full Review | Oct 13, 2008

It is impossible not to admire the way Watkins ratchets up the tension in his debut as director (he wrote My Little Eye) and keeps his tale strictly to 90 minutes.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 12, 2008

It's the latest proof that, when it comes to scary movies at least, the British film industry is alive and screaming.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 12, 2008

Daily Mail scaremongering? Possibly. But formidably well-made, all the same.

Eden Lake: pursuit, persecution, violent death.

Full Review | Sep 12, 2008

It is not often that The Sneak feels like walking out of a movie. But this exploitative, patronising and nauseatingly violent take on Britain's yob culture had your critic eyeing up the exit.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Sep 12, 2008

It's not long before the claret starts to flow. And it won't be too long before you start eyeing the exit sign.

It doesn't fight shy of a truly frightening final twist, which makes it not only bleaker but also more truthful than virtually every other movie in this genre, which all too often is over-populated and under-humanised.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Sep 12, 2008

‘Eden Lake’ is One of the 21st Century’s Most Disturbing Films [Watch]

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Welcome to  The Overlooked Motel , a place where under-seen and unappreciated films are given their moment in the spotlight. I hope you enjoy your stay here and find the accommodations to be suitable. Now, please take a seat and make yourself comfortable, I have some misbehaving guests to ‘correct’.   

Watch the latest episode:

This week’s selection is a profoundly terrifying viewing experience that plays out a lot like a swift and unexpected punch to the gut. I’m talking about James Watkins’ harrowing directorial debut,  Eden Lake .

This unflinchingly brutal cinematic effort follows Jenny (Kelly Reilly) and Steve (Michael Fassbender) on an idyllic lakeside getaway. Over the course of the weekend, Steve hopes to share his favorite vacation spot with Jenny before it is turned into a housing subdivision. He additionally has plans to propose marriage. Alas, their peaceful escape abruptly turns into a full-fledged nightmare. A chance encounter with a group of teenage hoodlums sees the loving couple hurled into a series of violent confrontations that will forever change their lives. 

Also Read: ‘The Stuff’ is a Slick Critique of Consumer Culture [The Overlooked Motel]

A big piece of what makes  Eden Lake  so terrifying is the random manner in which Steve and Jenny cross paths with the psychotic teens. That distinction makes the proceedings all the more disturbing. These are two people, minding their own business, attempting to enjoy a romantic weekend away before paradise is paved to put up a parking lot. They aren’t bothering anyone. They aren’t sticking their noses where they don’t belong. And they are certainly not looking for trouble. As such, seeing the two of them thrown into this ghastly scenario feels profoundly unjust. 

The protagonists are both gentle souls. Jenny is an elementary school teacher with a disarming way about her. Steve is slow to anger and he isn’t reactive like so many horror movie characters are. He repeatedly chooses the path of least resistance. So for the two of them to endure the torturous treatment they do feels all the more unjust. 

The villains of this piece are a bitter contrast to the palatable protagonists. The juvenile ruffians aren’t old enough to vote but they are malicious, blood-thirsty, calculated, and completely unhinged. That serves to make them properly terrifying. Unlike conventional villains, these antagonists don’t just kill their prey and move on. They appear to take a certain sadistic pleasure in dispensing violence toward anyone unlucky enough to cross their path. They possess the same proclivity for random acts of brutality as the titular characters in  The Strangers , coupled with an appetite for destruction and torture that rivals that of The Firefly family from Rob Zombie’s  House of 1,000 Corpses  and its sequels. 

Also Read: ‘Night of the Living Deb’: Finding Love In a Hopeless Place [The Overlooked Motel]

Jack O’Connell is particularly disquieting in his turn as the teenage ringleader, Brett. Brett is unhinged to the point that even his friends appear terrified of him. O’Connell brings Brett to life in such a way that the character exudes an air of menace.  

Every exchange between the lead characters and the gang of teenage hooligans is carefully orchestrated to produce profound amounts of tension. And each passing moment builds upon that which came before. That results in a palpable sense of dread that never lets up. And just as you think things couldn’t  possibly  get any worse, they do.

The cover art for the home video release sums up the film as being “like a bad dream turned worst nightmare” and that is an apt description.  Eden Lake  is very much like an endurance test for the audience. The flick is tense to the point of being almost painful. But that’s a true testament to the directorial prowess of James Watkins. 

I find it hard to believe that Eden Lake is Watkins’ directorial debut. He demonstrates a knack for crafting tension that rivals more established filmmakers. Accordingly, it’s no surprise that Watkins ended up sitting at the helm of  The Woman in Black  based, at least in part, on the strength of his debut feature. 

If you’re keen to check the film out for yourself,  Eden Lake  is currently streaming for free (with ads) via half-a-dozen platforms. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you what you were in for. 

That’s all for this installment of The Overlooked Motel. If you want to chat more about under-seen and underrated films, feel free to hit me up with your thoughts on Twitter  @FunWithHorror ! 

Categorized: Editorials News The Overlook Motel

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Common sense media reviewers.

Psychological horror has gory violence, language, nudity.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Few positive messages with criminal and violent bu

Jenny and Steve are loyal and affectionate to one

The cast is predominantly White and male. But wome

A parent strikes their infant child across the fac

Some light-hearted innuendo. Kissing in bed, tople

Language used includes "f--king," "d--khead," "ars

A planned gated community widens the class and eco

Characters -- both adults and teens -- drink and s

Parents need to know that Eden Lake is a horror movie with extreme violence, strong language, and some nudity. Starring Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender as a couple who are terrorized by a violent gang of youths while on a romantic camping break, there are no positive messages, although the couple do show…

Positive Messages

Few positive messages with criminal and violent bullies terrorizing innocent characters. Some instances of caring for and protecting loved ones.

Positive Role Models

Jenny and Steve are loyal and affectionate to one another, but the rest of the characters are anti-social, violent, and vindictive.

Diverse Representations

The cast is predominantly White and male. But women feature in a couple of prominent roles, and there is some minority representation in the supporting cast. Differing social and economic backgrounds are portrayed, though this leads to conflict, and the characters from the lower-income homes are generally shown to be violent criminals with little regard for other people.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

A parent strikes their infant child across the face. Two characters bully and physically intimidate someone younger and smaller than them. Characters threaten an innocent person with knives, tie them up, and torture them. They also pressure others to be violent and inflict harm. Bloody injuries and death shown. Characters torment a captured animal. Another animal is wounded and killed. Property damage as conflicts become more violent. Stabbing and cutting with knives. Some gore. An attempt to cut out a character's tongue. Attempt to burn people to death. Characters vomit because of trauma and injury. Character stabbed to death with improvised weapon. Character is hit by a van. A male character leers at a female's chest through binoculars. He also exposes his penis to her, on-screen.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Some light-hearted innuendo. Kissing in bed, topless male and female nudity. Sunbathing and petting on a secluded beach between a character in swimming shorts and another in a bikini. A character's penis is seen from afar.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language used includes "f--king," "d--khead," "arse," "f--k," "c--t," "s--t," "d--k," "t-ts," "bitch," "f--kwit," "p---y," and "bloody."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

A planned gated community widens the class and economic divide in a local community. Characters are envied for their relative wealth and material possessions. Characters use their cellphones to film violent acts.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Characters -- both adults and teens -- drink and smoke. A teen forces another to snort a substance after they complain about being tired.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Eden Lake is a horror movie with extreme violence, strong language, and some nudity. Starring Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender as a couple who are terrorized by a violent gang of youths while on a romantic camping break, there are no positive messages, although the couple do show bravery and care for one another. Violence ramps up throughout the movie to the point where it is frequently sadistic and bloody, doing serious injury and harm. There is also on-screen death. Gang leader Brett ( Jack O'Connell ) is at the center of the violence, both carrying it out and urging others to do the same. Language is frequent and strong, particularly among Brett and his peers. It includes variants of "f--k," "c--t," and "p---y." There is also some topless nudity and the suggestion of sexual intercourse. In one scene a character exposes his penis toward a female character. The same character leers at the woman's breasts through some binoculars. Gentrification is hinted at being a contributing factor to increasing hostilities between lower-income locals and rich outsiders. There is occasional drinking, smoking, drug taking, including among the underage teens. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Community Reviews

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• Kids say (3)

Based on 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In EDEN LAKE, Jenny ( Kelly Reilly ) and Steve's ( Michael Fassbender ) romantic camping trip becomes a fight for survival after clashing with some local teens led by the sadistic Brett ( Jack O'Connell ).

Is It Any Good?

Strong performances from a talented cast help lift this British horror's so-so script to the point where it can be looked back on as an early outing for some notable British and Irish talent. Among Eden Lake 's impressive cast, Fassbender stars unusually as a romantic lead, rather than the one carrying an air of menace. But his headstrong Steve still manages to aggravate the conflicts with the local teen delinquents. Meanwhile O'Connell is largely wasted in the underwritten role of violent ringleader Brett, as he dutifully spits and snarls his way through a list of movie villain clichés. Beating a path through the madness that unfolds is Reilly as traumatized schoolteacher Jenny. Yet despite starring, she is reduced to a foil for all the violence.

The movie's early, simmering tensions provide its most effective scenes. A sharper exploration of the inequalities that are hinted at driving the locals to become so lawless would've made for something far more original -- and horrifying.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the violence in Eden Lake . Did the blood and gore seem over the top? Did the violent scenes help tell the story in an effective way? Was it shocking or thrilling? Why? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?

Was the movie scary? How did it compare to other horror movies that you've seen? What's the appeal of scary movies ?

Discuss the strong language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?

There is some nudity in the movie. Was it handled sensitively? Did it add anything to the story? Why does that matter?

How was drinking, smoking, and drug use portrayed in the movie? Were they glamorized? What were the consequences? Why is that important?

Movie Details

• In theaters : October 31, 2008
• On DVD or streaming : January 6, 2009
• Cast : Kelly Reilly , Michael Fassbender , Jack O'Connell
• Director : James Watkins
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : The Weinstein Company
• Genre : Horror
• Run time : 91 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : strong brutal violence, pervasive language, some nudity and brief drug use
• Last updated : September 30, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

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Eden Lake Review

12 Sep 2008

Through enthusiastic over-breeding - Wrong Turn, Timber Falls, Texas Chainsaw - the hillbilly horror is so well-established it’s crowned itself a subgenre. And for good reason: it’s tooled-up to give audiences a blast of primal fear - these are films that shake us out of our suburban comfort zone, drop us into hostile territory and punch the buttons of our most basic animal instinct - fight or flight.

That’s the theory. In truth, the current batch have been about as terrifying as a trip to Neasden. As a cat-and-mouse movie set in deep, dark woods, Eden Lake screams from the same sheet, but the recasting adds an extreme new shudder. For hillbilly, read hoodie.

Steve (Fassbender) and Jenny (Reilly) are your emblematic Ikea couple, weekend-breaking from London to a natural beauty spot, where Steve plans to propose. Luck favours the devil in horror movies - that’s to say, everything that can go wrong, will go wrong - but the catalyst here is depressingly innocuous, and horribly familiar. Approaching a local gang who’ve gatecrashed their camping spot, Steve asks them... to turn the music down. Intimidation turns to aggravation, and an escalating rage results in one of the year’s most shocking scenes. They torture him. It’s quite enough that the camera doesn’t flinch; what’s really troubling is the plausibility of their motivation: peer pressure. Terrorised by their dead-eyed ringleader, Brett (an excellent O’Connell), they all take part. It’s what the BBFC would call “challenging material”, but dramatically speaking, it’s so unforgiving you have no idea how far the movie is going to push things.

In terms of close-calls and confrontations, Eden Lake is so locked into its genre we even get the girl-running-then-tripping routine - but there’s a raw, British grit to the performances that lends a queasy, authentic edge. Reilly’s slow crack into rage is alarming, but the kids? Scarily recognisable - they’re like the lot that hang outside your local Kwik Save, and they’re frighteningly good.

If it’s doing its job properly, horror should hold up a mirror to the culture it came from and throw up a distorted reflection. Happy slapping, have-a-go-heroes, gang violence, knife crime: Eden Lake takes the full Munch scream of Daily Mail terrors and turns up the volume, hard. It’s a bleak vision, and some might find it guilty of exploiting some distressing headlines. Which, being an exploitation movie, it has every right to do. There’s no answers but it does pose questions: where’s the discipline, it asks? More to the point, where the hell are the parents?

This is James Watkins’ debut and he’s clearly a talent to watch. Through controlled tension and draining sense of no escape, he’s crafted a contemporary nightmare and not once does he sweeten the pill (any humour’s tucked well away; although you might just catch the name of the lake: Slapton). Much like The Descent, it’s a rare case of us taking on Hollywood at its own game. Speaking of which, next up for Watkins is a writing gig on The Descent 2. It already sounds like a journey worth dreading.

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The Never Ending Terror of Eden Lake

Eden Lake. 2008. Directed & Written by James Watkins Starring Kelly Reilly, Michael Fassbender, Tara Ellis, Jack O’Connell, Finn Atkins, Jumayn Hunter, Thomas Turgoose, James Burrows, Tom Gill, Lorraine Bruce, Shaun Dooley, James Gandhi, Bronson Webb, Lorraine Stanley, & Rachel Gleeves. Rollercoaster Films/Aramid Entertainment Fund. Rated R. 91 minutes. Horror/Thriller

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The True Villain In Eden Lake Isn't Who You Think It Is

"Eden Lake" is one of the most shocking British horror films of all time, thanks to its gratuitous, brutal violence and truly chilling ending. The 2008 film sees Jenny (Kelly Reilly) and her boyfriend Steve ( Michael Fassbender ) clash with a group of rowdy teenagers in the remote countryside only to soon find themselves fighting for their lives as the gang stalks them through the woods. The film feels so intensely scary because there's nothing supernatural at play, nor are the teens themselves bloodthirsty serial killers like in other horror movies. Instead, they're just inflicting violence on Steve and Jenny because they can.

Featuring an incredibly talented cast, the performances given by Reilly and Fassbender perfectly communicate the sheer terror experienced by their characters in "Eden Lake." Elsewhere, the film's antagonistic teenage gang is led by Brett (Jack O'Connell), a truly unhinged character who forces his friends to hunt and torture Jenny and Steve. One scene in the film even sees Brett's gang torture Steve while he's tied to a rock with barbed wire, and it's a gruesome sight. Things only get worse, however, when Brett starts inflicting his rage on his friends, beating Harry (James Burrows) to death and burning Adam (James Ghandi) alive in a horrifyingly memorable scene.

While it all works as all a parable about the dangers of modern society, the true villain in "Eden Lake" isn't who you likely think it is.

Eden Lake's ending reveals its real villain

After Steve dies, "Eden Lake" follows Jenny as she is left to fend for herself against Brett and his cronies. She kills Cooper (Thomas Turgoose) in what she thinks is self-defense, despite the fact that he's actually trying to help her, and she also runs Paige (Finn Atkins) over with a stolen van before crashing into a garden party taking place in the nearby town. Following her crash, it looks for a minute like Jenny is safe, but that feeling disappears when she realizes that she's in Brett's house and all the adults at the party are the parents of the teenagers who've been tormenting her.

The adults quickly discover what's happened to their children when Brett returns and convinces them all that Jenny is a twisted psychopath who killed all his friends. His father Jon (Shaun Dooley) reacts by screaming at him and slaps him before sending the teen to his room. As a result, it becomes immediately clear that Brett has been raised in a violent, abusive house, and that his home life is the reason he's become such a twisted individual. It's a twist that forces viewers to wonder what Brett may have had to endure growing up in order to be so comfortable with such extreme torture and murder.

In other words, while Brett's a disturbing villain, it's even scarier to think that his dad is worse than him. At least, that's the implication, as the film ends with Jon and some other men taking Jenny into the bathroom, presumably to kill her in revenge for hurting their children. Her haunting final screams manage to stick with you long after the film's credits have rolled, and ensure that "Eden Lake" ends on a fittingly bleak note.

Home » Movies » Movie Reviews

‘Eden Lake’ | Film Review

If you can stomach a look at awful adolescents and subsequent torture through a harsh microscope then  Eden Lake  is a film you need to watch. It’s a tough sit, but incredibly effective.

Ten years ago, this gritty and muddy British horror was released and the impact of the story is still as shocking and damning as ever. Eden Lake might not be a horror film through and through, as there’s no ghosts or masked serial killers to speak of, but the contents of the plot feel deadly real and that’s where the true horror lies.

School teacher Jenny (Kelly Reilly) and her boyfriend Steve (Michael Fassbender) are on a weekend trip to the countryside and a stunning quarry soon becoming a gated community. As the couple soak up the sun and enjoy the waters, they are increasingly disturbed by a gang of teenagers who enjoy terrorising them to the point of sadism.

I always remembered this film utilising scary real-life problems and the ending always stuck with me. The final stages of Eden Lake are incredibly dark and a character stating “we look after our own round here” rings terrifying alarm bells. The irony of Mel and Kim singing ‘”Respectable” at a grown-ups party is not lost, as the lack of respect from the majority of characters shown is deeply worrying. The scariest quality of this movie isn’t with jump-scares but instead falls at the feet of bad parenting, deniability and troubled kids, creating a bold social commentary throughout the film which tips over the edge.

It’s easy to say  Eden Lake won’t be for everyone, as there is a lot of nastiness involved. Steve and Jenny are constantly antagonised by the presence of these youths; kids with no outlet for entertainment and no parental care, which leads them to create their own fun in extreme ways. Eden Lake  definitely does not shy away from blood and torture, and it feels like a never-ending intimidation game that becomes a horrible ordeal to get through… in the best possible way, though.

The setting of the film, a secluded strip of woods and leaf-littered floors, is a perfect location for the torment to play out. It lets the teenagers run wild and show off this culture of bad kids that is evident in broken Britain. There’s plenty of opportunity within the landscape of the quarry and surrounding woods for shadowy danger, natural obstacles and visceral pain, which is the pre-Emily Blunt gasp-out-loud impaled foot moment. The adult pair face a trial of nightmarish proportions and it’s a squeamish, tough watch, but an effective brutal look at the negative side of bored kids.

Kelly Reilly really goes through the ringer here, and back again. As the leading lady, she becomes a great force of rising anger and determination as her distress continues. Jack O’Connell is superb and despicable as this twisted hoodlum going down a path of aggression and Thomas Turgoose does well in showing the impressionable personality of people; his descent into culpability effectively shown through the ringleader bullying of O’Connell’s Brett.

This review is part of our #31DaysofHorror feature which is running all throughout October.  Check out the other entries.

Article by Jonathon Wilson

Jonathon is one of the co-founders of Ready Steady Cut and has been an instrumental part of the team since its inception in 2017. Jonathon has remained involved in all aspects of the site’s operation, mainly dedicated to its content output, remaining one of its primary Entertainment writers while also functioning as our dedicated Commissioning Editor, publishing over 6,500 articles.

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Movie Review: Eden Lake (2008)

• MovieGoddess
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• --> November 2, 2008

Hope. Survival. Retribution. Happy endings. Years ago, these were the standard outcomes in the horror genre. Nowadays, we jaded human beings like things a bit edgier — and more unpredictable. James Watkins’ new movie, Eden Lake keeps to this new tradition. A movie about a romantic weekend gone horribly awry, the film’s title is a cruel contradiction of what our ill-fated couple actually experience by the water’s edge. Hell Lake is more like it.

Naturally at this time of year, we get a bumper crop of horror films, and Eden Lake I’m happy to say is one of the more promising ones to come along — thank God too, as the horror genre has fared poorly this year. Now, mind you, the film is not based on an original idea. The filmmakers do tell us it is based on real events but that is the standard tagline appended to films these days which in many cases turns out not to be true, but no matter. It is not based on an original story either as it superficially resembles Ils (Them) and more closely Funny Games . But originality notwithstanding, Eden Lake is a lean, mean and genuinely nail-biting piece of filmmaking that literally has you perched on the edge of seat. And, it’s a film that sparks anger in the minds of the audience and a thirst for revenge against the bad guys. Director Watkins knows how to goad his audience.

Here’s the story. Nursery school teacher Jenny (played by Kelly Reilly) drives off with her boyfriend Steve (Michael Fassbender) for what they hope will be a romantic weekend at Eden Lake, the site of a new high-end housing development, one of Steve’s current projects as a developer. Unbeknownst to Jenny, Steve plans to propose to her — unfortunately, his timing couldn’t be more off. While sunbathing at the lakeshore, a group of local teenagers, lead by the menacing Brett (Jack O’Connell), intrude on their peace and quiet. A more prudent person would have simply gotten up and walked away. But not Steve. He is insistent on standing his ground and asserting his “rights”. “We were here first,” he reminds Jenny. Initially, the kids are merely obnoxious. But things turn ugly quickly when the teens steal the couples’ belongings and car. When Steve confronts Brett a fight breaks out, and in the melee, Steve accidentally kills Brett’s beloved dog. Whatever invisible barrier kept the teens’ instinctive lawlessness in check snaps. Now nothing stands between the couple and the teens’ boiling, unbridled rage. Brett and his gang pursue Steve and Jenny and subject them to unspeakable acts of violence and torture. Insanity reigns.

One of the things that makes Eden Lake so successful as a horror/thriller is that it thwarts the audience’s expectations at every turn. In the first thirty or so minutes of the film, there are numerous little set-ups where we, the audience, expect certain clichéd outcomes — but they never happen and things proceed onward. Instead of boring us, it has the effect of ratcheting up the suspense and the “what’s going to happen” factor as the tension from those set-ups is never released but rather continues to build. And even in the torture and pursuit scenes we are treated to some unexpected moments and outcomes.

Another powerful attribute of the film is that Eden Lake can be read on different levels; the subtext is fascinating. As we later learn, the teens aren’t outsiders, but members of the blue collar working community living around the lake who will no doubt be affected, if not displaced, by the high-end housing development being built and the eventual encroachment into their turf of a different group of people — the well-to-do, a group to which our hapless couple belongs. As Steve and Jenny venture deeper into the lake area, they travel farther and farther away from the reach of civilization with its checks and balances. They are out of their element and they forget that there is no law in the wilderness — only brute force and savagery. So beyond the basic storyline, the conflicts by the lake can be read as a clash between youth vs. adulthood, the middle class vs. the wealthy, the civilized vs. the savage, and progress vs. the status quo.

And let’s not forget the ensemble acting here, which I am both happy — and sad — to say is all too believable, so much so that it was hard to watch especially given the cruelty Steve and Jenny are subjected to. Several men in the audience I was in were shouting out loud so I know I wasn’t the only one experiencing the violence on a visceral level; that others were flinching and gasping just as I was.

Will Steve and Jenny overpower their tormentors and escape to safety? Watkins has you guessing, hoping and praying for the couple every terrifying inch of the way as one of them tries bravely to endure his captors’ gleeful punishments while the other evades them. One thing is for certain — you might want to rethink that camping trip you had planned for next weekend.

I've been a fanatical movie buff since I was a little girl, thanks to my parents who encouraged my brother and I to watch anything and everything we wanted, even the stuff deemed inappropriate for minors. I work, write, and reside in San Francisco the city where I was born and bred.

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'Movie Review: Eden Lake (2008)' have 7 comments

November 2, 2008 @ 4:39 pm Morland

Sounds like a good movie. Thanks for the review.

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November 20, 2008 @ 2:48 am Len Bourret

“Eden Lake” (2008) – A film for those who rank ‘8, 9, or 10 (out of 10)’ for the use of anger and violence.

This film seems to be rated by its use of extreme violence. Those who allow the violence–whether they object to it or not–seem to rank the film the highest with an 8, 9 or 10 out of 10. Yet, the film introduces a series of issues it never resolves: illegally entering an area that has been bought by a developer (an area that was formerly a public park), the use of a boom box playing extremely-loud rap music, a couple that is extremely-intimate in front of under-the-legal-age children, and a legal-age male engaging in labeling or name calling (I believe the stereotypical term ‘dick’ is used). An equally-horrific scene is the killing of the children’s dog. Whether the killing is an ‘accident’ or not, being being ‘sorry’ for the killing is not adequate.

Two or more wrongs, on either party, do not make a right. Granted, it was not right for the children to puncture the tire on, or steal, the couple’s car. But, it is not right for the legal-age male to enter the children’s home without permission. There is plenty, in this film, to incite both sides–and, thus, ‘fuel the fire’ (anger) and engage in violence. Both parties, at various times in the film, are persecutors. And, at other times, they are victims.

The rebellious children are at the age of defying authority. Couldn’t the adult female, a teacher, see that? It seems that at least one member of the couple should have been able see that trouble was ahead, and they should clear out. But, after the children puncture a tire on the couple’s car, they go back to Eden Lake for more–and further ‘fuel the fire’ of (anger) and the use of violence. The use of anger and violence–no matter on whose side–never solves a thing.

Somehow, the film seems to side with the couple because they have ‘squatter’s rights’, but the under-legal-age children (who also engage in anger and violence) have no ‘rights’. The couple can be ‘intimate’ on private property, but the children cannot play (loud) ‘rap music’ on the same piece of private property.

I am not saying that the under-legal-age children are right for what they do, in the film, but there is a legal matter of both parties entering private property. If either party had respected the private property, the anger and the violence (depicted in the film) wouldn’t have happened at all. By not respecting private property, both parties become persecutors and victims. As such, I can not find innocence on either side, and I rank this film a 1 out of 10. The children depicted in this film are ‘rebellious’, but the adults depicted in this film are ‘brainless’. I am tired of films that continually glorify lust, anger, violence, and the ‘gloom and doom’. Lust is not the same as sex, and sex is not a substitute for love. And, violence–even when shrouded in anger–is not a substitute for good acting, good direction, and a well-written script. This film justifies ‘the ends’ for ‘the means’, and ends up saying that the use of anger and violence is okay, if an immediate resolution cannot be found. Such a message is not only faulty, but is completely untrue.

May 13, 2009 @ 7:51 am rach

i am planning on watching this movie tonight and im really looking forward to it after reading reviews on line.

Len people do trespass and commit crime in real life, you should try living where i live where teenagers are a total menace to anyone over their age group.

I will leave a comment tomorrow letting you all know what i thought of this film as it sounds awesome x

October 17, 2009 @ 8:18 pm Bex

Oh get a life… it shit me up. It’s a scary movie… nobody payed attension to the bloody breaking and entering or the having sex infront of ‘under-legal-age’ if your in polotics… your sadly mistaken if anyone in this country actually cares… legal ages mean jack to anyone anymore…. look at most teenagers… everyone waits until they are 16 to have sex.. or 18 to smoke or drink…. NOPE. Anyhow.. it was pretty obvious that bret was on coke and poppers and the rest of them were on poppers….. and the girl had a stinking attitude… i hope if your kids are like that i never meet you. and if ANYONES kids are little angels and do everything the law says… i hope they are home tutored, because they will get the shit ripped out of them at school if they are brought up like this – unfortunatly thats the way the world is… hey even i got bullied at school…. :) laws are going down hill man CHILL OUT ITS A HORROR MOVIE :)

January 7, 2010 @ 10:35 pm Ross Oltmanns

I watched the movie. Some of the scenes I couldn’t take to watch. While it gave us the sense of realism in parallel to today’s society, I didn’t like the ending. I hate teenagers who menace society because they believe they can get away with it. Britain has quite a number of these despicable breeds. Take for example the killers of James Bulger. They were sent to Australia. The mother of James actually saw one of them in his 20s that time. An Indian student had been stabbed to death in Melbourne one week ago and a controversial priest here volunteered to give the killers safe passage because according to him they are just scared. What??? If you viciously kill someone, why would you be scared? It’s time we addressed this growing problem. Try vicious young criminals who commit heinous crimes as adults. They could change but mostly for the worse.

February 10, 2010 @ 1:03 am maggie

What waste of $4.99. I just saw this movie after seeing the trailer I thought it might look good. The acting was good and I was on the seat of my pants the whole movie – very suspenseful. I hated the ending and the fact that Steven was killed. Overall this was a terrible movie and it seems that the director and writer lack enough creativity to present an original ending and substituted violence instead of substance. Movies like this contribute to the growing problem of troubled youth in this day and age. Young kids will rent this movie, think it’s really cool and think they can get away with expressing and unleashing their anger towards animals, people, and women without consequences. It is a shame that our society has fallen to this low of renting and enjoying these type of movies.

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Eden Lake. Why is this movie so highly regarded on this subreddit?

I have seen posts for years on this subreddit about how crazy and bleak Eden Lake. I finally gave it a watch and it has to be at the top of worst horror movies I have ever seen. It does stay bleak and the material itself is kinda creepy if you can ignore just how utterly brain dead the main couple is. Their stupidity ruins the entire movie and any amount of praise I could possibly give this film is completely washed out by that. How do people get immersed in this film when the characters make the worst choices at every turn?

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British director James Watkins' film has the trappings of a low-IQ thriller but it's really a contemptible tract feeding the prejudices of the U.K.'s rightwing tabloids.

By Ray Bennett , The Associated Press September 16, 2008 9:00pm

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LONDON — British director James Watkins’ “Eden Lake” has the trappings of a low-IQ thriller but it’s really a contemptible tract feeding the prejudices of the U.K.’s rightwing tabloids that claim the country is overrun by teenagers wielding knives.

Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender, both bright new British performers, suffer foul indignities as a naive middle-class couple on a camping weekend near a deserted lake. Shane Meadows regulars Jack O’Connell and Thomas Turgoose are among a gang of lowlife teenagers who terrorize them with deadly intent.

Released in the U.K. by Optimum, the picture has been picked up by the Weinstein Company for distribution in the United States. But lacking any motivation for the characters’ actions and with not a shred of redemption, the picture’s shameful purpose is unlikely to make much of a mark on audiences beyond those wanting to see some special effects detailing gashed and bleeding flesh.

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Made slickly but full of plot holes and ludicrous behavior, the film focuses morbidly on the damage that sharp blades can do to the human body. A key scene involves a beaten man tied to a post with barbed wire being stabbed in turn by maddened juveniles brandishing assorted knives and cutters.

If Watkins was aiming for anything resembling “Deliverance” or “Straw Dogs,” his pandering characterization of the British working class as bovine, venal and heartless misses the mark by a country mile.

Production company: Rollercoaster Films Cast: Kelly Reilly, Michael Fassbender, Jack O’Connell, Thomas Turgoose Director, screenwriter: James Watkins Producers: Christian Colson, Richard Holmes Director of photography: Christopher Ross Production designer: Simon Bowles Music: David Julyan Costume designer: Keith Madden Editor: Jon Harris No rating, 91 minutes

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Eden Lake Ending Explained

Eden Lake Ending Explained: Unraveling the Terrifying Conclusion

Released in 2008, “Eden Lake” is a British horror-thriller film directed by James Watkins. The movie follows a young couple, Jenny and Steve, as they embark on a romantic getaway to the remote Eden Lake. However, their peaceful retreat takes a terrifying turn when they encounter a group of violent and sadistic teenagers. The film’s ending leaves audiences with a haunting and ambiguous conclusion that has sparked numerous discussions and interpretations. In this article, we will delve into the enigmatic ending of “Eden Lake” and explore seven interesting facts about the film.

Ending Explanation:

The ending of “Eden Lake” features Jenny, the sole survivor of the brutal encounter with the teenage gang, escaping into the woods while severely injured. As she collapses by the roadside, a family stops to help her. However, it is revealed that the family is connected to the gang, as the father chastises Jenny for using his son’s knife. The film concludes with the father and his son preparing to kill Jenny, leaving her fate uncertain.

1. Ambiguity of the Ending: The director intentionally leaves the ending open to interpretation, allowing viewers to speculate about Jenny’s ultimate fate. Some argue that she is killed by the family, while others believe she manages to escape. This ambiguity adds to the film’s unsettling nature and leaves a lasting impact on the audience.

2. Social Commentary: “Eden Lake” serves as a commentary on societal issues, particularly the growing problem of youth violence. The film portrays the teenagers as products of a neglectful and violent environment, highlighting the consequences of a society that fails to address these underlying issues.

3. Unsettling Realism: The film’s realistic portrayal of violence and its impact on the characters contributes to its chilling effect. The brutality depicted in “Eden Lake” resonates with viewers, as it draws from real-life instances of youth crime and aggression.

4. Symbolism of the Lake: The titular lake symbolizes the loss of innocence and tranquility. Initially representing a peaceful retreat for the couple, it transforms into a site of horror and violence. This transformation mirrors the corruption and destruction of innocence experienced by the characters.

5. Psychological Thriller Elements: “Eden Lake” incorporates elements of psychological thriller, focusing on the escalating tension and fear experienced by the protagonists. The relentless pursuit and sadistic actions of the teenagers create an intense and nerve-wracking atmosphere throughout the film.

6. Cinematic Influences: The film draws inspiration from classic horror movies like “Deliverance” (1972) and “Straw Dogs” (1971). It pays homage to these films through its exploration of the clash between urban and rural environments, as well as the underlying themes of survival and primal instincts.

7. Critical Reception: “Eden Lake” received positive reviews from critics, praising its intense narrative, powerful performances, and thought-provoking themes. However, some criticized its extreme violence and disturbing content.

Now, let’s address some common questions that arise regarding the ending of “Eden Lake”:

1. Does Jenny survive at the end of the film?

The film purposefully leaves Jenny’s fate uncertain, allowing viewers to interpret the ending as they see fit.

2. Why does the family stop to help Jenny if they are connected to the gang?

The family’s act of stopping to help Jenny serves to further emphasize the twisted nature of the society depicted in the film. It highlights the underlying evil that exists within seemingly innocent individuals.

3. What is the significance of the father chastising Jenny for using his son’s knife?

The father’s reaction symbolizes the generational cycle of violence and the normalization of aggression within the gang’s community.

4. What is the message behind the film’s social commentary on youth violence?

“Eden Lake” aims to shed light on the consequences of neglecting societal issues, particularly youth violence. It serves as a call to address and rectify these problems to prevent further harm.

5. What role does the lake play in the film?

The lake serves as a symbol of lost innocence and the transformation of a peaceful setting into a site of brutality. It reflects the corruption and destruction experienced by the characters.

6. Why did the director choose to leave the ending open-ended?

By leaving the ending ambiguous, the director engages the audience’s imagination and invites them to reflect on the film’s themes and messages. It adds to the overall impact and lingering unease.

7. How does “Eden Lake” compare to other horror films?

“Eden Lake” stands out due to its realistic portrayal of violence and its social commentary on youth aggression. It combines elements of horror and psychological thriller to create a deeply unsettling experience.

In conclusion, “Eden Lake” is a gripping and thought-provoking film that leaves audiences with an unsettling and ambiguous ending. Through its exploration of youth violence and its impact on society, the film serves as a chilling reminder of the consequences of neglect and the corruption of innocence. Its open-ended conclusion invites viewers to question the fate of the protagonist and engage in discussions about the underlying themes. As we reflect on “Eden Lake,” it serves as a stark reminder of the potential darkness that can lurk beneath seemingly idyllic settings.

Quotes from professionals in the field:

1. “The ambiguity of ‘Eden Lake’s’ ending allows for multiple interpretations, leaving a lasting impact on the viewer. It’s a testament to the director’s skill in engaging the audience’s imagination and provoking thought.” – Film Critic.

2. “The film’s portrayal of youth violence serves as a stark reflection of the societal issues we face today. ‘Eden Lake’ forces us to confront the consequences of neglect and the urgent need for intervention.” – Sociologist.

3. “The lake in ‘Eden Lake’ symbolizes the loss of innocence and tranquility, mirroring the journey of the characters as they descend into violence. It adds a layer of symbolism that enhances the film’s impact.” – Film Analyst.

4. “By leaving the ending open-ended, ‘Eden Lake’ becomes more than just a horror film. It invites viewers to question the cyclical nature of violence and reflect on the societal factors that contribute to it.” – Psychologist.

In the year 2024, “Eden Lake” continues to captivate audiences with its unsettling ending and thought-provoking themes. As viewers grapple with the film’s social commentary on youth violence and the consequences of neglect, it remains a testament to the lasting impact of powerful storytelling. Whether Jenny survives or succumbs to the family’s violence, the film’s message about the need for societal change echoes in our collective consciousness. “Eden Lake” serves as a chilling reminder of the potential darkness that lurks beneath the surface, urging us to confront and address the underlying issues that plague our society.

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Metacritic reviews

• 80 The Guardian Peter Bradshaw The Guardian Peter Bradshaw Seriously bloody horrible in every particular, and uncompromisingly bleak to the very end, this looks to me like the best British horror film in years: nasty, scary and tight as a drum.
• 80 L.A. Weekly L.A. Weekly As a thriller, Eden Lake absolutely works, but feel-good entertainment it isn’t. Don’t bring a date.
• 80 Time Out London Nigel Floyd Time Out London Nigel Floyd The shattering downbeat ending is well earned and genuinely shocking.
• 80 Empire Simon Crook Empire Simon Crook You don't watch it, you survive it. A battering experience, and the hardest Brit horror in years.
• 70 Variety Dennis Harvey Variety Dennis Harvey Eden Lake doesn't feel like torture porn so much as a rural-jeopardy thriller in extremis.
• 40 The Telegraph Tim Robey The Telegraph Tim Robey This slice of class-baiting British ordeal horror from writer-director James Watkins is potently made. It's also exploitative trash, serving up silly levels of alarmist editorialising about kids today.
• 30 The Hollywood Reporter Ray Bennett The Hollywood Reporter Ray Bennett Eden Lake has the trappings of a low-IQ thriller but it's really a contemptible tract feeding the prejudices of the U.K.'s rightwing tabloids that claim the country is overrun by teenagers wielding knives.
• See all 7 reviews on Metacritic.com
• See all external reviews for Eden Lake

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Eye For Film >> Movies >> Eden Lake (2008) Film Review

Reviewed by: Anton Bitel

Get some kids together, and you have a class – but in James Watkins' directorial debut, the 'hoodie horror' Eden Lake, a gang of kids exposes the faultlines where British class becomes split. In a scene in the middle of the film, a character is burnt alive with a tyre 'necklace', evoking the familiar imagery of a racially and socially divided South Africa – but in fact the signifiers of social apartheid are already enshrined within the titular 'lake', said once to have been a working stone quarry, then flooded and turned into a public park, and now being transformed into an exclusive gated community for the rich. The perfect arena, then, for the brutal conflict that follows, where it is not just adults pitted against children, but bourgeois liberals against recalcitrant proles. It is not so very far from where we all live today.

Steve (Michael Fassbender) picks up his girfriend Jenny (Kelly Reilly) from the primary school where she teaches in a leafy London suburb, and the pair sets off for a camping weekend at Eden Lake, where Steve hopes to propose to her. Things get off to an imperfect start – the locals in the nearby town are hardly friendly, and a sleepless night is spent in a noisy pub motel – but once they get to the idyllic quarry, all that can be forgotten.

Except that the lovers are not alone. A group of kids is drinking rowdily nearby, and when Steve asks them to turn their music down, things quickly get out of hand, as the teenagers' menacing pranks escalate into violence. With Steve severely injured, Jenny must call on all her inner reserves of strength to get out of the woods alive.

The children who populate the horror/thriller genres are often of the 'demon seed' variety – think the socoiopathic aliens of Village Of The Damned (1960), the satanic spawn in The Omen (1976), the murderous mobs of Would You Kill A Child? (1976), the sickle-wielding hick-lets of Children Of The Corn (1984), the vicious psychotic projections of The Brood (1979), or even the candy-loving tearaways of Hostel (2005). What is new in Eden Lake is the way that Watkins takes what is essentially the plot of Deliverance (1972), wherein urban outsiders must turn feral to survive the rustic locals, and uses it to tap right into contemporary anxieties about teens run amok. Here the locals are not drooling rednecks, but English kids having a laugh and playing out their adolescent power games beyond the reach of adult supervision – and their bullying, knife-wielding, binge-drinking, happy-slapping, joy-riding hooliganism could have been conjured from the pages of any tabloid today.

Still, Eden Lake is a little more subtle than that. The kids are drawn and individuated with a considerable degree of psychological plausibility, and Watkins shows genuine sensitivity to the workings of peer pressure on those who might otherwise be less willing to exhibit such behavioural extremes. Conversely, Jenny's tendency, when cornered, to lash out indiscriminately dramatises the dangers involved in the sort of kneejerk response that tabloids are so wont to provoke.

In any case, Watkins is not just blaming the kids, but their parents too, in what might be perceived as a frontal assault on the working classes in general. The perspective here (arguably cinema's default perspective) is strictly bourgeois, as we follow Jenny and Steve through a middle-class nightmare of full-body contact with the unwashed masses, terrified they will vandalise and beat and rob and maim and even kill, just to relieve the boredom of their oppressive existences. That it is actually frightening is down to the performances of Reilly and Jack O'Connell (as the kids' psychotic ringleader), the taut direction, Watkins' unflinchingly downbeat script - and that current mood of fear in the air that the film so perfectly captures.

Whether Eden Lake is at all edifying on the issues that it raises is open to debate. After all, its message is perhaps best summarised by the words of Steve's talking SatNav (with comedy Kylie Minogue voice), announced when the couple first drive into the precinct of Eden Lake: "At your first opportunity, turn around." It is the counsel of non-intervention, of quietism, of looking the other way – and the rest of the film illustrates what happens when such advice is not followed. Yet it is also, of course, the sort of counsel that is arguably part of the problem, in that the problem will not somehow vanish if it is simply ignored. On the contrary, the very worst way to bridge a division is to polarise its sides even further – and yet that is exactly what this films seems to be doing.

Perhaps, though, this is missing the point. Eden Lake is not trying to be a piece of social realist commentary, but is instead exploiting certain tensions within the nation to create edge-of-your-seat thrills. No matter what views it seems to be promoting, if it gets people talking about youth violence, class conflict and the gulf of social inequality in Britain, then all the better – and if it does not, at least it will give them a frightening, albeit derivative, ride.

Director: James Watkins

Writer: James Watkins

Starring: Thomas Turgoose, Kelly Reilly, Michael Fassbender, Bronson Webb, Jack O'Connell, Shaun Dooley, Finn Atkins, Eliza Elkington, James Gandhi, Alyssa Cooper, Thomas Gill

Runtime: 91 minutes

Country: UK

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Directed by James Watkins

A weekend by the lake, with views to die for.

Eden Lake is a relentlessly tense and immaculately paced horror-thriller about modern youth gone wild. When a young couple goes to a remote wooded lake for a romantic getaway, their quiet weekend is shattered by an aggressive group of local kids. Rowdiness quickly turns to rage as the teens terrorize the couple in unimaginable ways, and a weekend outing becomes a bloody battle for survival.

Kelly Reilly Michael Fassbender Jack O'Connell Finn Atkins Thomas Turgoose James Burrows Lorraine Bruce Jumayn Hunter Shaun Dooley Bronson Webb Lorraine Stanley Alex Palmer Tara Ellis Tom Gill James Gandhi Rachel Gleeves Mark Devenport

Director Director

James Watkins

Producers Producers

Richard Holmes Christian Colson Jennifer Wynne Ivana MacKinnon Diarmuid McKeown

Writer Writer

Casting casting.

Julie Harkin

Editor Editor

Cinematography cinematography.

Christopher Ross

Assistant Directors Asst. Directors

Matt Carver Alison Banks

Executive Producer Exec. Producer

Conor McCaughan

Lighting Lighting

Andy McBrearty

Camera Operators Camera Operators

John Watters Roger Tooley John Taylor Jon Garwes Philippe Cointepas

Additional Photography Add. Photography

Peter Wignall

Production Design Production Design

Simon Bowles

Art Direction Art Direction

Melloney Cunnell

Set Decoration Set Decoration

Visual effects visual effects.

Sean Wheelan

Title Design Title Design

Matt Curtis

Stunts Stunts

Richard Bradshaw Shelly Benison Belinda McGinley Rick English Andy Wareham Crispin Layfield Rob Hunt Gary Hoptrough Danielle da Costa Tony Christian Seon Rogers Matthew Stirling Marc Cass

Composer Composer

David Julyan

Sound Sound

Andrea King Ian Tapp Jack Stew Richard Pryke Ben Barker Ivor Talbot

Costume Design Costume Design

Keith Madden

Makeup Makeup

Sophie Brice Mark English

Rollercoaster Films Aramid Entertainment Fund

Releases by Date

12 aug 2008, 21 aug 2008, 06 oct 2008, 17 oct 2008, 25 oct 2008, 21 nov 2008, theatrical limited, 31 oct 2008, 08 jan 2009, 12 sep 2008, 08 oct 2008, 02 jan 2009, 09 jan 2009, 15 jan 2009, 16 jan 2009, 21 jan 2009, 27 feb 2009, 02 apr 2009, 17 apr 2009, 14 may 2009, 14 aug 2009, 16 oct 2009, 17 dec 2009, 25 mar 2010, 06 jan 2009, 12 mar 2009, 24 mar 2009, 26 mar 2009, 31 mar 2009, 09 oct 2009, 09 dec 2009, 19 jan 2016, 07 jun 2017, 02 may 2021, 26 apr 2012, releases by country.

• Theatrical 18
• Physical R18+ DVD
• Physical 18 DVD
• Physical 18A DVD
• Physical 15 DVD
• Premiere K-18 Night Visions Film Festival
• Physical K-18 DVD
• Theatrical 16
• Premiere Fantasy Filmfest
• Physical DVD
• Physical Blu-Ray
• Physical PG12 DVD
• Theatrical C

Netherlands

• Premiere 15 Oslo International Film Festival

Philippines

• Physical R-18 DVD
• Theatrical M/18

Russian Federation

• Theatrical limited 18+
• Theatrical 18+
• Theatrical M18

South Korea

• Premiere 18 Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival
• Theatrical 15
• Premiere London FrightFest Film Festival
• Premiere Screamfest Horror Film Festival
• Theatrical limited R
• Physical R DVD

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Popular reviews

Review by adambolt ★★★★

can think of nothing scarier than being chased by an angry british teenager you can't understand

Review by Lucy ★★★★ 4

teenagers: bad

Review by Jose Cañas ★★★★ 2

That’s what you get for trying to propose to your girlfriend at a shitty rock quarry.

Review by DirkH ★★ 25

This film doesn't stray from the beaten path and does what it should do very effectively. The acting by the leads is very good, definitely above par for such a genre film. I was particularly impressed by Jack O'Connell. He put a menacing energy into his role that was very convincing.

This film was pitched to me as being very disturbing. While there are some very effective gory moments that really made me cringe, it never disturbed me because there is this one thing that annoyed me immensely.

The setting. This all takes place in a nature reserve bordering a small village. This village is mainly occupied by working class people. And they're all bastards. Complete and utter bastards. Really,…

Review by ChandraKanth❄ ★★★★ 4

Literally scary shit. I want to kill them all. Very bad parenting.

Review by trin ★★★★ 2

everyone of those teenagers looked extremely british, that should’ve been their first red flag

Review by gal pacino ★★★ 5

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

don’t have enough knowledge of english class warfare to comment, sorry! luckily i do have enough knowledge on proposal scenes to confirm this one is an all-timer (gf tries to staunch bf’s stab wound with coat, stumbles upon engagement ring in his pocket, bf launches into romantic monologue while bleeding out)

Review by kat🕷 ★★★★ 6

Boys will be boys 🙃

Review by natalie ★★★★ 1

reminder to take your birth control!

Review by Justine ★★★★

Who's your most hated movie villain of all time? I found mine it's a fucking British teenager

Review by aaron ★★★½ 1

Uncomfortable, unpleasant and unflinchingly brutal.

Review by Arlo McLean ★★★★½ 7

I literally can’t even put into words how this movie made me feel. I’ve never been this disturbed and upset...ever? FUCK THIS MOVIE.

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